According to our divorce agreement my ex-wife and I are supposed to share the cost of our son’s after school activities equally between us. Nothing is said about the types of activities he should attend, nor how often. I let my ex-wife, who has custody, decide things. Lately it has got out of hand. He goes to some kind of activity after school every day. His marks at school have gone down and down – I think because he is too busy with all his after-school activities. Not only is our child suffering – but my pocket is, too. I am now paying more for my son’s after-school activities than I am in child maintenance. My ex-wife will not listen. I cannot continue this way – I have had to take a salary drop to keep my job. What can I do?
By: דיאנה שאלתיאל•Published on: 13 May, 2022As a minor’s natural guardians a mother and father are equally responsible for after-school activities and whoever has custody cannot enroll a child for them without limitation. The non-custodial parent should be involved in this. If the custodial parent enrolls the child for activities without limitation, then the non-custodial parent can act against this. One option is to ask the court to become involved ( within the framework of the minor’s guardianship file) and give instructions about the type and number of activities which the child should attend, given the fact that his/her performance and achievements at school are being adversely affected by attending too many outside activities. The other option is to file for a reduction in child maintenance- based on the non-custodial parent’s reduced earnings and centred on setting limits to the amount of after school activities he/she should attend with the non-custodial parent’s financial participation.